Loren William Garrigan

Highmore, SD

1937, 2756, Farm Island, S-207,

Born: August 27, 1918. Died: March 17, 2007

U.S. Veteran Loren William Garrigan, beloved uncle and friend of many, died on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2007, in his hometown of Highmore.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at 10:00a.m., Tuesday, March 20 at St. Mary's Catholic Church with Father Paul Nereparmpil officiating. Burial was in St. Mary's Cemetery in Highmore with Military Honors, directed by Luze Funeral Home of Highmore. Visitation was held 5:00-7:00p.m. Monday, March 19 at the church with a 7:00p.m. wake service.

He was born Aug. 27, 1918, in Kewanee, Illinois, the sixth child of John and Mary (McGrin) Garrigan. His family came to South Dakota when Loren was 2 years old. They farmed southeast of Harrold until their father died in 1928. His mother moved to Highmore with the youngest children and the family shared the common struggles of the Great Depression.

Loren attended rural school in Chapelle Township and graduated from Highmore High School in 1936. Uncle Loren was a pitcher on the local baseball team and was respectfully nicknamed "Diz" after the Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals. Diz enjoyed following baseball throughout his life.

He entered the Civilian Conservation Corps camp at Farm Island in Pierre. He served in the Black Hills of South Dakota, where he learned the masonry craft that would serve him the rest of his life.

Loren served his country in World War II in the Fifth Armored Division and saw Europe from the back of a half-track as well as the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps.

He spent more than 40 years working as a bricklayer and carpenter on construction crews run by Preston Kelly, Frank Hawkins and Bob Mason. He helped build many homes and buildings around Hyde County. Loren was proud to have laid the capstone of the Hyde County Memorial Auditorium.

Loren was a lifelong bachelor surrounded by a large family he loved dearly. He had little formal education, but read voraciously from financial and national publications. He was a man who lived simply.

As the last surviving member his immediate family, was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles, Frank, Raymond and John, and his sisters, Nellie Hogan and Loretta Fuller, and four nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his sisters-in-law, Shirley Garrigan, of Highmore, Clara Garrigan Hyde of Onida and Carol Garrigan of Carson City, Nevada. He was beloved by 25 nieces and nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Highmore swimming pool fund.

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